


A Slant of Light

by Swanny_Writer



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dark, Alternate Universe - Magical Realism, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Emotional Manipulation, M/M, Minor Character Death, Non-Explicit Sex, Non-Graphic Violence, Protective Jeon Wonwoo, Soft Wen Jun Hui | Jun, Supernatural Jeon Wonwoo, Wen Jun Hui | Jun is a Sweetheart, be warned that it's rather darker than my usual fics, i still promise a happy ending though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-03-17 15:13:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28851147
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Swanny_Writer/pseuds/Swanny_Writer
Summary: Junhui has been having the same recurrent dream for months, but one night, things change. Wonwoo is no longer just a figure of his imagination, and Junhui grows attached.But is Wonwoo really who Junhui thinks he is?(Or the one where Junnie keeps dreaming of Wonu and a mirror)-
Relationships: Jeon Wonwoo/Wen Jun Hui | Jun
Comments: 53
Kudos: 142





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys! it's been ages... (well, if you follow me on twitter, you've probably read my ramblings and short stories lol) anyway... i know this isn't the update/story most of you wanted, but alas, my brain didn't want to write for the mafia au. i'm sorry 😔
> 
> i actually started this fic months ago, and it was supposed to be for halloween 2020... 😅 but life happened, and here we are now
> 
> i put it in the tags, but i'll warn you again: it's dark-ish. if you're expecting my usual light and fluffy and funny story, it's... not quite here. still, i hope you'll still give it a try! 🥺 there's a happy ending 🥺
> 
> WARNING: blood mentioned. also if you're expecting sexy time, um, you'll be disappointed 😅 but i still tagged it M to be safe.
> 
> happy reading!
> 
> -

The dreams always play out the the same way. Although at this point, Junhui isn’t sure if he shouldn’t categorize them as nightmares due to their somewhat disturbing nature. Perturbed and uneasy as he feels about them when he’s awake, however, no harm ever comes to him. Only a sense of foreboding lingers in his mind when he awakes the following morning, along with the dark whispers of _his_ voice, leaving tingles running across his skin.

Junhui is never alone when his consciousness slips away. As soon as sleep overtakes his mind, he’ll open his eyes to a dark and empty room. Only a slant of light piercing through a gap in the heavy drapes allows him to see.

He’s standing in front of an ornate, full-length mirror. Somewhere in the deep recesses of his mind, he knows to wait. A chilling draft blows through the area, causing him to shiver. He rubs his bare legs together, chasing away the goosebumps along his skin. The thin chemise that falls to mid-thigh does very little to offer warmth.

“Junhui,” a disembodied voice calls from the dark. This time, when he shivers, it has nothing to do with the cold. “Junhui.” It’s a deep and alluring voice, familiar in all the ways that should be worrisome. “Junhui.” Like smoke, it curls around him, untouchable yet insistent.

Every time it happens, Junhui strains to see through the darkness, the urge to turn around and search for the source almost unbearable, to tug on the drapes and flood the room in sunlight. But he can’t. He stands rooted to the spot, his eyes stare straight at the mirror, seeing no one but himself cast in the gentle glow of the sun. In any other circumstances, the loss of motility would send him into panic and possibly hysterics.

However, when he dreams, his mind is calm. He’s calm because he knows he’s not alone.

As though born out of shadows, the owner of the voice steps out of the dark and approaches. Junhui can never see him fully. The man angles his body expertly, only allowing Junhui to catch glimpses of his black silky hair, the bridge of a straight nose, the sharp angle of his jaw. He lingers at Junhui’s back, close enough that the boy can feel the warmth seeping through the thin nightgown.

A small and pitiful whine slips past pouting lips, eliciting a quiet chuckle.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart?”

“C-cold,” Junhui whimpers.

The man hums. “We can’t have that, now, can we.”

Eyes still glued to the mirror, Junhui watches as wisps of black smoke encircle one side of his waist. At the same time, he feels fingers on him, squeezing the tender flesh. As the smoke moves toward the light, it begins to melt away. Elegant yet strong fingers come into view, digging into the nightshirt for a moment, before smoothing out over his stomach. With the flat of his palm, the man nudges Junhui lightly back against him.

A soft sigh of contentment leaves Junhui’s mouth, eyes fluttering close for a moment as he feels warmth enveloping him. The man laughs lowly by his ear.

“So easy to please,” he muses.

Despite the teasing, he stands in place and offers Junhui his warmth until the latter stops shaking. Only then does he let his hands wander. They always travel the same path: from Junhui’s stomach, they retreat to his sides, touch light as they graze his flanks, then one hand returns to wrap around Junhui’s middle, while the other continues along the boy’s arm, long fingers loose around the circumference of his arm. It stops briefly at his wrist, then on its way back up, he bunches the sleeve, revealing Junhui’s bare forearm.

Treating Junhui as though he were fragile, the man gently lifts the boy’s arm and turns it toward him. A soft kiss is pressed to the sensitive skin of his inner wrist. As familiar as Junhui is to the routine, he can’t help the small gasp from entering his lungs when a warm and slick tongue licks over the area. It tickles, mainly, but there’s an undercurrent that accompanies it. It’s in the way that the man is so meticulous in laving over Junhui’s skin, the strokes so languid and… sensual. Junhui’s heartbeat races, and from the way a smirk is faintly visible in the reflection, the man knows exactly how much he affects him. His cheeks flush, and he turns his head to the side, burrowing as best as he can into the man’s shoulder. As if to comfort him, the man’s free hand draws soothing patterns over his tummy.

Sometimes, he can predict when the tiny prick of pain is about to come. Tonight, he can’t. When it happens, Junhui sucks in a breath of surprise, body startling against the other’s. The man continues to sooth him with his free hand, while his mouth latches on to the drop of blood rolling down Junhui’s wrist. A few licks of the tongue and the wound closes. Once finished, he puts Junhui’s arm down, and pulls him close to his chest once more.

“Thank you, sweetheart.” With the tenderness of a lover, he kisses Junhui’s temple.

Junhui’s heart jumps, and his stomach swoops. He knows, even without looking into the mirror, that his cheeks are bright pink, and his companion is surely smirking.

“I’ll answer one of your questions tonight.”

Junhui’s eyes flash open. He stares right at the man’s face cast in shadows. This is new.

“Yes, it is,” he replies as if reading Junhui’s mind. “You’ve been such a good boy for me these past few months, I believe you should be rewarded.” He caresses over Junhui’s cheek with the back of his fingers. “Choose your question wisely.”

Their eyes meet in the reflection. While Junhui can’t actually see them all that clearly, there is a glint to them. His gaze is so intense and penetrative, it feels as though the mysterious man can see right into Junhui’s soul.

Somehow, he manages to keep himself together and gather his voice, albeit weak, to ask, “W-who are you?”

A flash of white teeth. “I’m afraid that is a question that would require more time than we have. Dawn is breaking, little kitten. I must go.”

For the first time since he’s had these dreams, Junhui panics. He scrambles to hold onto the man’s hands as they start to leave his body. “Wait! Please, at least tell me your name!”

He pauses his departure for a moment, smiling at the boy’s mild frenzy as if it were the most endearing sight. Then he leans in, lips brushing the shell of Junhui’s ear.

“Wonwoo.”

Junhui’s eyes fly open. On his nightstand, his phone goes off with the alarm. He reaches over to turn it off, before throwing it onto the rumpled sheets and blanket.

_What the heck…_

He runs a shaking hand through his bedhead, face turning toward the window to see the first ray of sunlight peeking over the tall buildings. For six months, more or less, the dreams had been nothing but copies of each other, with very few varying little details, like the pet names, and the clothes Junhui wears. Because the events always unfolded the same way, it was easy for him to dismiss them as mere odd dreams.

Not only was this one different, he apparently dreamt of nothing else. Usually, he’d have at least two other dreams to go along with it, and they’d range from him petting kittens in a field of flowers, to him going grocery shopping. He’s normally a light sleeper, so it’s not unusual for him to wake up several times a night, and then fall back asleep. Every time it happens, he’d have a different dream. For him to only visit the strange mirror room with the faceless stranger means that he didn’t wake up at all.

Which has never happened before.

Could he have been that exhausted? There really isn’t any other explanation. He doesn’t know how else to rationalize it.

His second alarm goes off, promptly putting an end to his useless musings. He turns off the obnoxious sound and heads off to start on his day.

For someone who gets such unusual dreams, Junhui’s life is anything but exciting. In fact, it’s rather mundane. He goes to school, and then works part-time at a local restaurant as a waiter. During the little time off that he gets, he squeezes in errand runs and various house chores.

He gets by, for the most part due to his parents’ life insurance. They were hit by a drunk driver when Junhui entered his last year of high school. Because he was still a minor, distant relatives took him in. He moved so far away to live with them, no friendship survived more than a couple months. Back then, he had been too focused on graduating and keeping himself from shattering into pieces to think about making friends. By the time he realized, it was too late to fix, so he learned to be on his own.

Now at twenty-two years old, he is adamant on working hard and repaying his aunt and uncle for their support. The family treated him well, even if they never really grew close.

Perhaps it’s because his life is so mundane that he started to have those dreams, an attempt on his brain’s part to help him cope with loneliness. Since he’s so busy with school and work, he doesn’t have time for anything or anyone else. The only people who come close to ‘friends’ are his coworkers, but they spend more time griping about aching feet and rude customers than anything else. Therefore, it would make sense for his subconsciousness to create such dreams, right? After all, he never saw the mysterious person’s face nor did he know anything specific about the man.

Until last night.

_Wonwoo._

A shiver runs down his spine at the memory of the name whispered so close to his ear, the deep and husky voice making his insides twist into knots, heat washing over him.

For the entire time it takes him to commute from his apartment to campus, he wracks his brain for some kind of explanation, any hint that he’s heard the name before, hence allowing his mind to borrow it. He tries to recall past customers, attempting to match any of them to ‘Wonwoo’ both in appearance and aura.

No matter how hard he thinks, though, he comes up with nothing substantial.

Well, other than he’s gone completely crazy.

With a sigh, he pulls open the door to the lecture hall and goes to find a seat.

·̩̩̥͙＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚☾˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙

When he goes to bed, he expects things to return to normal, that whatever happened last time was just a fluke. He goes through the motions, waiting anxiously for Wonwoo to show up. His eyes dart around, hoping to catch anything unusual—or rather, hoping he doesn’t.

“You’re distracted tonight,” Wonwoo says lowly at the base of his nape.

Junhui startles, stammering out an answer, “I-I’m sorry! I’m just… Uh… I…”

Strong arms squeeze lightly around his middle, and he calms down a notch. Were he in his right mind, he would wonder about the efficiency at which Wonwoo manages to sooth him without doing much of anything.

“You didn’t do anything wrong,” Wonwoo says, sounding amused. “There’s no need to apologize. I was merely making an observation.” He presses a kiss to Junhui’s pulse point, eliciting a small shudder from the boy. “Tell me what’s wrong, kitten.”

It’s spoken lightly, almost casually, but Junhui knows better. He can see the way Wonwoo’s eyes glint in the mirror. It’s not a request. It’s a demand.

He swallows, throat parched, blood thrumming under his skin. There’s no fear. He’s never afraid when he’s here. But the dominance in Wonwoo’s voice makes his knees go weak.

“I…” He licks his dry lips. “May I ask you another question?” His heart beats like a drum. This is going completely off-script, as it were. Wonwoo has already taken the drop of blood from Junhui tonight, and last time, he had allowed a question to be asked of him.

“Of course.” He rubs a thumb over the thin material covering Junhui’s hip.

“Are you real?” The moment the question makes it past his lips, a rush of embarrassment washes over him. He stands there, eyes wide and unblinking, wishing he could hide behind his hands.

A soft chuckle and a puff of breath on his nape snap him out of it. “You really are adorable, Junhui.”

Junhui flushes even more. “T-thank you,” he murmurs.

“Mm.” Wonwoo leans forward enough to let his cheek brush against his, and the short stubble tickles his skin, leading him to hunch his shoulders. Wonwoo laughs at the action, straightening up once more. “I’m as real as you are, kitten.”

Junhui startles awake from the sound of his alarm. He flails a little, but manages to quickly turn it off. He falls back against the bed, hands rubbing over his face. The dream derailed from the usual pattern again, but what does it mean? Is he really going to take what a figure inside of his subconscious said at face value?

With a groan, he flips onto his stomach and waits for the second alarm to go off.

·̩̩̥͙＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚☾˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙

The next dream session has him questioning his own sanity upon waking up. If he weren’t buried in work and responsibilities, he would actually check himself into the hospital. He sits back against the headboard, eyes staring intently at his right arm. Or more specifically, at the ring of teeth indentation on the inside of his wrist.

_“How do I know you’re real?”_

_“Would like me to give you proof?”_

And then Wonwoo bit him.

Junhui continues to study the mark on his wrist, going so far as to pass his thumb over it to feel the dips in the skin from where Wonwoo’s teeth dug in. When he presses on it, he can feel a dull soreness, too. The bite mark is real.

He couldn’t have bitten his own arm while asleep, could he? Giving the mark another look, he turns to his left arm and bites down hard enough to leave a good impression. Then he closes his eyes and breathes out. Allowing himself a couple seconds to compose himself, he eventually brings both arms in front of his face to compare.

Without a doubt, they were made from completely different sets of teeth.

A small and panicked cry falls out of his mouth.

Junhui really doesn’t know what to do. It’s not like he can ask anyone for advice. Not without divulging how much of a lunatic he could possible be turning into. And he can’t forego sleep, either. More importantly, no matter how much he wants to deny it, the truth is that he doesn’t want to stop seeing Wonwoo.

Even though it’s more than a little strange, borderline unhealthy, he likes the attention. Wonwoo makes him feel special. _Wanted._ He likes the way Wonwoo treats him, the way he makes him feel. He likes that Wonwoo manages to chase away the loneliness, even if it’s only temporary.

·̩̩̥͙＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚☾˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙

For a while, his ‘relationship’ with Wonwoo (whatever that relationship may be) remains stagnant. Nothing significant happens outside of the usual routine. Still, Junhui continues to attempt to get more answers out of Wonwoo. He’s not always successful.

_“Where is this place?”_

_—“It’s where I am kept.”_

_“Kept? What do you mean?”_

The only response he gets in answer is a small and cryptic smile.

*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙

_“Do you exist in the real world?”_

_-“Yes.”_

_“I want to meet you.”_

Wonwoo strokes his cheek, voice low but full of promises, “All in due time, kitten. Patience.”

*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙

_“Why can’t I see your full face?”_

_-“I’m shy.”_

Junhui bursts into giggles, and Wonwoo successfully evades the inquiry.

*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙

_“Why… me?”_

- _“Because I need you as much as you need me.”_

·̩̩̥͙＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚☾˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙

Having morning and afternoon classes, along with being single, means that Junhui’s schedule often includes the closing shift. He doesn’t mind it much. Sure, he gets stuck with the dinner rush, but he finds it much more manageable than the hectic lunch hour. The only downside is seeing his coworkers leaving one by one as the hours tick by, and wishing he could also go home to his bed.

Tonight starts out like any other, including a straggler who thinks it’s perfectly fine to enter a restaurant half an hour before closing. Only Junhui remains on the empty floor by now; Mr. Lee, the cook, is already cleaning up the kitchen and packing him leftovers to bring home. The two of them had actually believed they’d be able to go home early, seeing as the last family had left twenty minutes ago.

Junhui wishes he could turn the customer away, but he recalls what happened last month, when Seokmin, another waiter, had tried to gently tell a couple that the restaurant was closed. Not only did the stragglers not leave, they got so angry with Seokmin, the poor kid ran to the bathroom to cry. Junhui would rather avoid a similar unfortunate situation. He grabs a menu and sits the older man at a table.

Thankfully for Junhui and Mr. Lee, the customer orders from the regular sections, rather than the Specials. There is yet hope that they’ll make it home before 1 am. While he waits for the man to eat his meal, Junhui finishes up clearing and wiping the other tables. He waves goodbye to Mr. Lee as the cook leaves, reminding him to take the containers from the fridge.

By the time Junhui finishes his duties, the customer calls him over for the bill. He quickly returns to the table with the small tray containing the slip of paper.

“I’ve been meaning to ask,” the man says casually as he pulls out his wallet. “You’re a student, aren’t you? College?”

Junhui nods. “Yes, sir.” He doesn’t have a habit of staring directly at the customers, especially when they’re eating since he doesn’t want to make them uncomfortable. However, now that he’s standing under this man’s scrutiny, Junhui can’t help but feel somewhat unsettled. A shudder crawls its way up his spine, but he manages to stand still. Instead, he bunches the apron under his clammy palms as a feeble attempt to stay grounded.

“Hmm.” The man takes his time looking him up and down meaningfully, hungry gaze lingering over his thighs and ass, before returning to his face. He smiles, waving the black credit card in the air. “Would you be interested in making some extra money?”

Junhui is unable to suppress the full body shudder this time, heart pounding in his chest, adrenaline causing his fingers to shake. He needs to scream. He needs to run. He needs—

The man gets to his feet and uses Junhui’s frozen state to lean into him. “I promise I’d make it worth your time, darling,” he whispers, breath rank with alcohol.

Junhui is too stunned, too shocked. It takes a hand creeping up his side to snap him out of it. He jerks away, swallowing down bile, as he plucks the card out of the man’s grasp and picks up the tray bill from the table.

“Let me get you your receipt!” he exclaims as he runs to take refuge at the front counter, behind the cash register. He does his best to repress the small whimper of disgust from the mocking laughter that seems to stick to his heels.

He’s barely caught his breath, punching in the buttons and swiping the card, when he looks up and nearly chokes. The customer stands across from the counter, grin lazy and predatory as he leers at him. Junhui averts his gaze, focusing on the transaction, ignoring the way his shoulders hunch in defense.

“What time do you get off work?”

Junhui chews on his lip, wracking his brain for a solution to get rid of this persistent and creepy man. “I’m closing tonight,” he says as calmly as he can. “As long as my boss stays in the back, I have to keep working.” Okay, big lie, but who cares. He tears off the receipt and puts it on a tray, along with the card, to avoid getting groped. “Have a good night, sir.”

Accepting the items, the man looks up at him and grins. “Oh, I’m sure I will, darling.”

Junhui doesn’t breathe until he hears the door shut behind the customer. He counts to five, then runs to the front to flip the lock. An hour ago, he’d wanted to go home as soon as possible. Now? Now he switches off the lights, except for the ones in the back, and looks through the blinds to make sure the man truly left. He stays an additional fifteen minutes, before he feels okay enough to go bid Seungcheol a goodnight in his office.

To be extra sure, he exits through the back. The heavy metal door locks behind him as he walks out of the alley and back onto the street. He looks over his shoulders, seeing no one. He hitches his backpack higher and pulls his hood over his head.

For a couple minutes, it’s quiet.

For a couple minutes, Junhui relaxes.

But then he hears it: tires breaking. Followed by: “Hey, Pretty Thing!”

Whipping around, Junhui sees the customer getting out of a luxury car and heading for him.

Junhui doesn’t even think. He grips the straps of his backpack and runs. Distantly over the sound of his panting and the pounding of his heart, he hear the man call for him. He can’t tell if he’s being chased, but he doesn’t care. He sees the gates of the park and mumbles out a quiet _thank you_ to all the deities in existence. Cars can’t be driven inside, and he knows for sure he’s faster than his pursuer.

He cuts through the park, familiar with all the shortcuts like the back of his hand. Not only will this help him lose his tail, it’ll keep the man from finding out where Junhui lives, too.

As the distance between them increases, the fainter the man’s shouts become. He keeps running, not slowing down until he reaches his apartment building and gets on the elevator. At this time of night, no else uses it. Junhui falls inside the cart and all but collapses against the wall after the doors close.

He’s still shaking from the adrenaline by the time he huddles under the covers of his blanket, eyes shut tight as if refusing to recall the moments leading up to this. In the past, he’s always been good with being alone, managing on his own, even proud that he’s self-sufficient.

But none of that matters right now. Now he wishes he weren’t so alone. He wishes he had someone to pull him in close, to tell him that things are going to be okay. He wishes that someone would chase away the scary memories.

 _Not just ‘someone,’_ a tiny voice whispers in his mind.

No, not just ‘someone.’ He wants—

“Wonwoo…”

“Shh. I’m right here, sweetheart.” A tender kiss is pressed to his temple, prompting Junhui to snap his eyes open. Heart pounding, he stares in wonder as he finds himself in the familiar dark room with the mirror and the slant of light.

But he’s not standing like usual, and he’s not alone.

He’s surrounded by warmth, a blanket of comfort and security. Wonwoo runs a large hand up and down his spine, body heat seeping through the thin chemise to turn his muscles pliant. Junhui lets out a content little sigh, nuzzling further against him, tucking his face under the other’s jaw.

Wonwoo hums, other hand reaching out to steady the boy across his lap, fingers brushing the end of the nightgown where it rides on Junhui’s thighs. On any given day, the position would embarrass him, but tonight he simply basks in the knowledge that he’s being cared for, cherished and small.

Distantly, his consciousness wonders if tonight’s dream—the changes in the routine, the way Wonwoo holds him—is directly influenced by the events from earlier in the night. Maybe he had fallen asleep with the unsettling emotions, and his mind conjured up Wonwoo as an attempt to bring him comfort and sooth him.

Whatever the reason may be, Junhui can’t bring himself to care right now.

Wonwoo continues to rub gentle strokes across his side and outer thigh, breaths calm and steady under Junhui’s ear. They sit in comfortable silence for a moment. Junhui wishes he could see the man in the mirror’s reflection, but as it is always the case, Wonwoo remains shrouded in darkness. Through the glass, he can only glimpse at himself, draped across Wonwoo’s lap in the armchair, side pressed tightly against his chest, and the other’s hands coming in and out of view as he moves to pet him.

“You’re safe now, hm?” Wonwoo murmurs, cheek resting atop the crown of Junhui’s head.

The words settle deeply into the boy’s body, and he shuts his eyes for a brief moment, knowing it to be true. There is no safer place. “Yes.”

“I wish I could have been there to keep you safe from harm tonight,” Wonwoo muses. His tone is twinged with regret, yet Junhui finds himself smiling, grateful and happy.

Cheeks warm, he glances up, catching a peek of a sharp jawline. He grazes his fingers lightly over it, short stubble prickly. “You would be my knight in shining armor?” he giggles.

Under his touch, he feels him grin. Wonwoo reaches for his hand, thumb pressing into his wrist as he kisses Junhui’s palm. “I’m afraid that would be a rather poor comparison, kitten,” he says lowly. “I’m nowhere near as noble.”

He’s kidding. Junhui knows. And yet, something in his tone, in the glint of his eyes, in the upward lift of the corner of his mouth that Junhui sees through the mirror’s reflection… Junhui shivers.

Wonwoo nuzzles close, lips at the shell of the boy’s ear. “Are you afraid?”

Gripping his hand tighter, Junhui shakes his head. His heart is pounding. Something nags at him, but it’s not fear. He’s never been afraid of Wonwoo.

“I would never hurt you, Junnie,” Wonwoo vows, voice deep and full of conviction. “I would only make sure the people who harm you are dealt with appropriately. You know that, don’t you?”

This time, he nods, the tightness in his chest loosening. “Yes, I know.”

Wonwoo grins wider, enough to flash the two small canines. “Good boy.”

Pleasant flutters swirl in Junhui’s stomach at the praise, and he tucks his face back against Wonwoo’s shoulder. He fidgets with the buttons on the other’s shirt to occupy himself.

“Just let me take care of everything,” Wonwoo says.

Confused, Junhui furrows his brows. “What do you mean?”

But Wonwoo only smiles mysteriously and raises Junhui’s wrist to his mouth, replying, “You’ll understand soon, kitten.”

The next morning, Junhui tries to go about his day as he normally would. He doesn’t see anyone suspicious around his apartment building, nor is he followed to campus. Deciding that the whole fiasco with the customer was nothing more than a drunk man spewing nonsense and doing unreasonable things, he finishes his classes and heads to the restaurant.

He manages to hold onto his belief for about an hour.

Seungkwan, a second year who works twice a week here as a receptionist, barges into the break room. Junhui nearly chokes from the sudden commotion. The younger man pants like he’s run a marathon, hair mussed, and jacket skewed under his backpack.

“Are you okay?” Junhui asks, sliding him a paper cup filled with cold water.

“Seungkwan! You’re late!” Seungcheol announces as he pokes his head through the doorway, but his stern expression quickly morphs into concern. “Woah, what happened?”

“Thanks, Jun.” Gulping down the water, Seungkwan collapses into the nearest chair and continues to wheeze. “They still haven’t opened up the train lines by my school, and I had no idea! So I had to run to the bus stop, which would have been fine, but then I was already late, so I had run _again_ from the bus stop to get here.” Wheezing, he slumps onto the table, a content little noise escaping when his cheek touches the cool surface.

“Oh.” Seungcheol pats his shoulder in sympathy. “You should have just called.”

“I was in a hurry!” Seungkwan raises his arms in emphasis.

“Okay, okay. It’s a slow day anyway, so take your time recuperating. Why are the trains down anyway?”

“Didn’t you see the news?”

Seungcheol and Junhui share a look, then both shake their heads. While Seungkwan explains, Junhui pulls out his phone to search through today’s headlines.

“Someone fell onto the tracks last night, but the police can’t be sure if it was an accident or not. They’re still gathering evidence, I’m assuming, so no one is allowed entry.”

Seungcheol lets out a sigh and shakes his head. “What a tragedy. I don’t know if one alternative is better than the other. It’s terrible either way.”

The younger agrees, getting up to get more water.

Junhui wishes he could add to the conversation. But as of right now, he’s lost all motor control. Frozen in place, he stares with round eyes at the picture of the victim: it’s the customer from last night.

An icy jolt runs down his spine.

There’s no way his death is connected to Junhui’s dream and Wonwoo, right? That’s just—No way. Wonwoo is—Wonwoo is only a dream. A figment of Junhui’s imagination, created out of his loneliness and need for comfort and love. Wonwoo isn’t real. Wonwoo couldn’t have done this—

“ _I would never hurt you, Junnie… I would only make sure the people who harm you are dealt with appropriately. You know that, don’t you? Just let me take care of everything.”_

Hands shaking, Junhui scrolls down the page to look at the time of the death. He doesn’t breathe until he realizes that the incident took place ten minutes after Junhui left the restaurant, which means the customer must have gone directly to the train station after nearly accosting him; therefore, he died before Junhui even made it home. As crazy as it sounds, the man died before Junhui could have talked to Wonwoo, so the latter couldn’t have been involved.

Pressing a hand over his face, Junhui sighs. He really doesn’t know what to think anymore.

“Jun?” Seungcheol calls. “You okay there?”

Junhui snaps out of it, and offers his boss a bright smile. “Yeah, sorry. I just remembered an essay I have due in a few days.”

Seungkwan grimaces. “I have one due next week, too.”

“Ah, youth!”

The youngest rolls his eyes and snorts.

Junhui keeps it together for the sake of appearances, but inside, his mind just spins and spins.

·̩̩̥͙＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚☾˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙

With the way his final exams worked out, Junhui ends up with all three of them on the same day, from morning to early evening. He just needs to get through them, before enjoying a week of vacation. Although of course for him that just means more time and opportunity to work. He’ll need to talk to Seungcheol about rescheduling him. He hopes his boss will be able to fit him in somewhere. It’s great that he’s available to work; it just won’t do any good if there’s no available extra shifts for him to take on.

“You should take the opportunity to rest,” Wonwoo tells him.

They’re in the armchair this time again. Junhui is supposedly sitting next to him, but with the way he’s tucked his body against Wonwoo’s side, leg swung across the other’s body, he might as well be sitting in his lap.

Junhui leans his head this way and that, eyes closed in contentment as Wonwoo runs long fingers through his hair. “Rest doesn’t pay for the rent, though,” he answers.

Chuckling at his pout, Wonwoo traces the full bottom lip. “At least take a few days off to travel. Explore new places. Meet new people.”

Junhui shifts in order to rest his head on Wonwoo’s shoulder, eyesight trained on the mirror in front of them. His fingers clutch the fabric of Wonwoo’s shirt, as if afraid the latter will pull away and leave him. Able to sense his anxiety, Wonwoo begins to draw invisible patterns all over his back, and leans back enough to press a kiss to his forehead.

“You know you can tell me anything, kitten,” he nudges gently. “It’s okay.”

“I… I know.” And it’s odd how the statement rings true. Despite the worry, it’s like Junhui knows on some intrinsic level. “I just…” Unable to say it properly, he turns his face again and burrows against Wonwoo’s neck. “I wanna meet you,” he mumbles.

The arms around him squeeze him tighter. “I know, kitten,” Wonwoo replies. “Soon, I promise.”

·̩̩̥͙＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚☾˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙

When Junhui arrives at work, he has his speech ready and rehearsed. He’s prepared when he knocks on Seungcheol’s door to ~~beg~~ ask for more shifts during the vacation week. Unbeknownst to him, his boss already has a proposition to run by him concerning that week.

“Oh, Jun!” Seungcheol exclaims upon seeing him, waving him in. “I was just about to go out and find you. You remember Mingyu, right?”

Junhui nods. “Your brother with the photography studio?”

“Yes. He and his boyfriend are going out of town, and they need someone to watch their house and take care of their dogs for a few days.”

“Oh. Don’t you usually send Chan?” The reason Junhui knows of Mingyu and Minghao is because the two go on trips every few months, and they always bring souvenirs back. Junhui has gotten mugs, t-shirts, keychains, and even a tiny potted plant from them. And for every trip, their youngest brother would be sent to housesit and feed the dogs.

Seungcheol sighs and shakes his head. “The kid broke his leg two days ago, so he’s grounded. Quite literally.”

Junhui makes a face. “Yikes. He’s okay, though, right?”

The older waves the issue off. “He’s fine. Just grumpy because he can’t go anywhere. So, would you like to go? You’ll be paid, of course. I told them you don’t drive, so they’ll cover your traveling expenses, too.”

It doesn’t take Junhui long to decide. “Okay!”

“Great! They’ll be gone until Friday afternoon, evening at the latest. Here’s their address.” Seungcheol hands him a post-it note, which Junhui sticks to his notebook for safe keeping. “And the spare keys.”

“Thank you.”

Seungcheol nods. “Thank _you,_ Jun. Now I won’t have to worry about them bugging me.”

Junhui chuckles.

·̩̩̥͙＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚☾˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙

Mingyu and Minghao live in a quaint, tiny little town. It’s filled with brick houses and roads that make cars look like giant trucks. People travel by bicycles and mopeds mainly, which gives the town even more of an adorable and peaceful atmosphere. Junhui spends the entire bus ride watching the scenery with wide and sparkly eyes, excited to explore and take pictures.

He thinks of Wonwoo’s words from a few nights ago and smiles quietly to himself. Real or not, Wonwoo would be proud of him for venturing out and enjoying himself a little. The thought of making him proud, of hearing gentle praises like _Good boy_ and _You did really well, kitten_ fills Junhui with warmth, butterflies swarming his tummy. He has to bite his lip to stop from grinning like an idiot in public.

Junhui finds the Kim-Xu residence easily enough. He rolls his small luggage to a stop behind him in order to fetch the keys to the low iron gates. As soon as he enters, he hears barking coming from the house. He’s seen the dogs in pictures, small and cute white balls of fluff. While Junhui loves all animals, he is glad Mingyu and Minghao don’t own any large dog. It’d make walking them exhausting.

They come to greet him at the door, both curious as they circle his feet and bark. Luckily, they don’t seem to mind that it’s him instead of Chan. “Hi, I’m Jun,” Junhui greets, lowering himself to the floor. He puts out a hand for them to sniff. Bobpul seems a bit more willing to be his friend, while Aji is more cautious. Cautious, he can deal with. As long he doesn’t get bitten, he’ll be fine.

The two follow after him as he walks through the house, getting familiar with the layout. In the kitchen, he finds a note with short instructions about the doggies’ food and habits, along with some places for Junhui to visit if he decides to walk around town.

_Please don’t hesitate to call us for anything. Especially if Bobpul and Aji give you trouble._

_Thank you again for helping us out! We’ll bring you the best souvenirs of the bunch lol_

_-M &M_

That night, Junhui has a very odd dream.

He’s standing in front of an unfamiliar house, seemingly hidden away by the overgrown trees and shrubs. Evening is about to fall. Junhui looks around the empty streets, orange and violet streaks coloring the scene. He can tell he’s in the small town, but aside from that, he has no idea where this neighborhood is relative to the Kim-Xu residence. He’s certainly never been here before.

Movement from the house catches his attention from the corner of his eye. He looks up at the highest floor, right under the roof. Must be the attic, he surmises. The lights are on, so someone must be up there. Just as the thought filters through his head, a shadow crosses the window. The person stops, hand raised as if to lift the curtain and look onto the streets. However, at the last minute, something behind them causes them to back away from the window. The curtains sway, but the person is gone.

Junhui reflexively takes a step forward, mouth opening to call for them, but nothing comes out. Why does he want to do that? He doesn’t even know them.

“Junhui.”

He spins around.

He’s in the dark room with the mirror.

Wonwoo is waiting for him, hand extended. Junhui doesn’t think as he lets Wonwoo pull him in. The strange house and the person at the window becomes nothing but a faint memory.

“Glad to see you listened to me and decided to go out of town.”

Giggling, Junhui leans his head on the other’s shoulder. “The opportunity was too good to pass up.”

He hums. “Traveling to new places is fun. You never know what you’ll discover, even if by accident.”

“Yeah,” Junhui agrees, arms coming around Wonwoo’s waist to hug him loosely. “I still wish you were there with me, though.”

Wonwoo squeezes his hand and brings it to his lips. “Patience, sweetheart. The day is closer than you realize,” he says against the boy’s wrist. Then he sinks his teeth in and licks up the blood.

·̩̩̥͙＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚☾˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙

“Good morning, visitor!”

Junhui looks up from his appraisal of a deliciously looking basket of strawberries to see a boy about his age. His name tag reads ‘Soonyoung’, and he’s smiling so widely his eyes have turned into tiny slits. He also has adorable cheeks. From the way he’s dressed, it’s obvious he’s the one in charge of this particular fruit stand of the farmer’s market.

“G-good morning,” Junhui smiles back. “Um, how did you know…”

“Oh,” Soonyoung chuckles. “We’re a town of 300-odd people, so it’s always easy to spot the tourists.” Turning to the doggies sniffing the flowers planted along the sidewalk, he adds, “Plus, these little rascals are especially easy to recognize.” He pulls out some dog treats and moves around the stand to crouch and feed them. “Ooh, who’s a good doggy? Yes, you are!”

Junhui giggles.

“So Mingyu and Minghao went off to another trip, huh?” He stands up and dusts himself off.

Junhui nods. “Yeah, since yesterday.”

“Not that I mean anything rude, but how come Channie didn’t come?”

“Oh, his brother says he broke his leg a few days ago.”

“Oh…” Soonyoung grimaces in sympathetic pain. “Well, it’s nice to meet you… er…”

“Oh, sorry!” He quickly introduces himself. “Junhui. I work at Seungcheol’s restaurant.”

“Ah, cool! I’m Soonyoung, well, clearly,” he waves toward his apron and laughs. “The strawberries are great!” he says, having noticed them being the items that caught Junhui’s eyes earlier. “I know it sounds like I’m giving a sales pitch, but I’m honest! You wanna taste?”

Junhui giggles at the energy and exuberance. “It’s okay. I trust you. I’ll take a pack.”

“It’s buy 2 get 1 free,” he winks.

Unable to repress the laughter, Junhui nods and agrees. “Okay, pack them up for me, please.”

“Woo!”

After handing him the money, Junhui stands aside a couple feet so he won’t block anyone’s way while Soonyoung carefully puts the strawberries into a paper bag and gets his change. It’s while Junhui is studying the rest of the stands nearby for their products that Aji growls and yanks on his leash. The force is so sudden, Junhui nearly topples over. Were his reflexes not sharp enough, he would have slammed into the customer next to him.

“I am so sorry!” he quickly apologizes, shushing Aji _and_ Bobpul, who’s now joined his brother in barking at the old man. “Guys, stop! Shhh! What’s wrong?” The dogs no longer bark, but they keep growling as they back away from the old man, placing themselves in front of Junhui as if in warning. Confused, Junhui looks up, another apology perched on the tip of his tongue, only for him to balk at the icy glare the man fixes on him.

Unheedful of the dogs’ hostility, the man narrows his eyes. “You…” he mutters, voice gravelly as though he’d swallowed rocks. “Do what you came to do then leave! We don’t want you here!”

“Mr. Kang!” Soonyoung exclaims.

With a huff, Mr. Kang storms off. Only then do Bobpul and Aji stop barking.

“I am so sorry, Junhui,” Soonyoung says, glancing at the back of the man’s figure as he shoves his way through the crowd. “Mr. Kang is… Ah, he gets even more cranky this time of year.”

“This… time of year?” Junhui repeats, brows pinched in confusion.

“Right, I forgot you can’t possibly know.” He clears his throat, gesturing for Junhui to come closer over to his side. “This isn’t something we advertise, but… seeing as Mr. Kang yelled at you over nothing, I think you deserve to know the reason. A few decades ago, a family in town got—” He moves his thumb across his throat.

Junhui flinches.

“Yeah, but it wasn’t a burglary gone bad or anything ‘normal.’ Apparently, the couple were killed and used as sacrifices in some creepy demonic ritual.”

At this, Junhui can’t help the yelp he lets out, immediately clasping a hand over his mouth. “Sorry.”

“No, that’s a totally understandable and valid response,” Soonyoung replies. “I know I screamed and cried, but I also heard the story when I was five, so that could also be why.”

Junhui appreciates his attempt at lightening up the mood, although he can’t say Soonyoung manages to succeed.

“Anyway, Mr. Kang was their neighbor,” he reveals in a whisper, prompting Junhui’s eyes to widen even more. “And also the prime suspect back then.”

“Did they find evidence of his involvement or something?”

Soonyoung shrugged. “Not really. They suspected him because he was at the crime scene when the police arrived, but they couldn’t make an arrest since nothing else connected him to the crime. Just because he wasn’t charged doesn’t mean the town didn’t think he did it. Especially since the murders are still unresolved _and_ one person remains missing.”

“What?”

Soonyoung nods. “The couple had a son. They found his blood at the scene, but no body.”

“Oh, no.”

“Yeah, and according to the books and whatever creepy documents found at the scene, the ritual demanded three souls. So everyone thinks Mr. Kang committed the crime, and later tried to get rid of the bodies, except that he was caught before he could move the parents, too.”

Junhui shudders. “Do you think he really could have done something so awful?”

“I’m not sure,” Soonyoung replies hesitantly. “I mean, I think of myself as fair. If the police didn’t find any evidence, and the man wasn’t charged, then he’s innocent. But I will admit that he really scares me, and the fact that he still lives next door to the murder house makes him even more creepy.”

“What?”

Soonyoung nods. “Yeah! And he gets really sensitive and mean by the time the anniversary of the deaths roll around. Makes you wonder, right?”

“Hoshi! I need two pounds of tomatoes!” a lady calls.

“Oh! Coming right up!” Soonyoung waves at her, then turns back to Junhui. “Sorry, I gotta go. Here are your strawberries and your change.”

“Thank you.” He hangs the bag around his wrist and pockets the coins.

Before Soonyoung leaves, he adds, “If you’re curious, check out the archives at the library. They keep all the newspapers.”

Thanking him again, Junhui lets him get back to work and heads off. He finishes his grocery trip and returns to the Kim-Xu house.

He lingers there for a couple hours, feeding the dogs and preparing lunch. Once he finishes his meal, though, the restless energy gets too much. All morning, the murders kept occupying his thoughts. He has to go read up some more. Something about it pulls at him. He’s unsure if it’s just the curiosity and morbid fascination, but he can no longer sit still.

In such a small town, locating the library is a pretty easy task. The old ladies at the front desk are especially helpful, pointing him in the right direction, and telling him to call for them again if he encounters any trouble. He thanks them profusely, bowing low, and makes his way to the correct station. The newspapers are arranged in chronological order, but since Soonyoung didn’t specify the year, Junhui resorts to looking the event up by keywords.

He gnaws on his lip as he waits for the articles to load up, leg bouncing up and down on the carpeted floor. He scrolls down the page, eyes gravitating toward the photos first. A startled gasp lodges itself in his throat. His eyes turn the size of saucers.

It’s the house from his dream, except much newer and not buried under the overgrown vegetation. He clasps his hands over his mouth and nose as he keeps on staring, heart pounding in his chest. How could he have dreamt of a house he’s never seen before? Much more disturbingly, it’s a house where multiple people were killed.

A sense of dread settles into his bones, eliciting a cold jolt to shoot down his spine. He squeezes his trembling hands between his knees as he scans over the text, getting much of the same information as Soonyoung provided. Now, though, he gets names: Jeon Joowon, and his wife Jiyeong. The further he reads, the harder his heart pounds. He doesn’t understand why he feels so unsettled, so anxious.

Not until he sees: _“And a third victim: Jeon Wonwoo.”_

His hand fly to his face as a gasp escapes. Wonwoo…

He’s never felt so much anguish, so much hurt, gazing at the picture of a stranger.

 _But he’s not a stranger_ , a voice in his mind whispers.

_No, I suppose he’s not…_

Junhui stares and stares, unable to move his gaze away from Wonwoo’s picture. He looks so happy and carefree as he looks toward the camera, smile wide, black hair falling into sharp and intelligent eyes. The tightness in Junhui’s chest loosens slightly when he catches familiar features: the angular jaw, the straight slope of his nose, the faint glimpse of his eyes.

It’s him. It really is him.

As if out of his control, Junhui lifts his hand toward the monitor, fingertips barely touching screen as he traces over Wonwoo’s handsome face.

“So this is what you look like, Wonwoo,” he whispers to himself, smiling sadly.

Junhui should be terrified (and maybe he is, but the overwhelming emotions of finding out about Wonwoo’s past has overridden the fear) that for nearly a year, he’s been dreaming of a young man who died decades ago. Not only did he die, he might have been used in some dark ritual. And yet the predominant emotion ruling his mind is sadness. How could someone so bright, so beautiful, encounter such a cruel fate?

Then a thought occurs to him: what if Wonwoo isn’t dead? Not really. If Junhui dreamt of Wonwoo’s house as it stands today, then there’s no telling of the possibilities that Junhui really has been talking to Wonwoo in some alternate space—

_“Where is this place?”_

_—“It’s where I am kept.”_

_“Do you exist in the real world?”_

_-“Yes.”_

As if electrocuted, Junhui shoots to his feet. In his dream of the house, he saw someone at the window in the attic. The person wanted to approach him, and Junhui had wanted to reach out to them. Right as he attempted to move, he found himself facing Wonwoo in the mirror room.

What if Wonwoo is trapped in that house? What if that’s where he’s been ever since his parents were murdered? What if…

Junhui doesn’t even know anymore. Only one thing is sure: Wonwoo needs him.

By the time arrives at the correct address, his mind is swirling. Never has he ever questioned his consciousness as much as he does right now. He stares up at the house, mouth hanging agape. The scene is identical to his dream: the house, the overgrown trees, the wild shrubs. Even the time of day, violent sky streaked in orange, and the empty streets.

He stands rooted to the spot, chest rising and falling deeply. Uneasiness pricks at his skin as he lifts his gaze to the topmost window and its familiar white curtains. Unlike his dream, no one comes to the window. It doesn’t stop him from shifting his weight from foot to foot, battling the need to go inside, to check, to see if Wonwoo is there, waiting for him. An all-encompassing need to see Wonwoo washes over him.

A door slams shut.

Junhui startles, blinking wildly around the area to locate the source of the sudden noise. That’s when he sees a pair of dark eyes glowering at him.

He jumps in fright, hand braced against his erratic heartbeat. It takes his brain an extra second to circumvent the shock to recognize the old man. Mr. Kang’s glare is unyielding as he watches Junhui from his porch next door. A hat covers his head and hides most of his features, which makes him look even more intimidating.

“Stay away from that house,” he warns. His strange gravelly voice causes goosebumps to rise across Junhui’s skin.

As much as Junhui wants to explore, he doesn’t dare disobey. After all, Mr. Kang is still believed to be involved in the murders. Junhui isn’t going to risk becoming his next victim. So with a short bow, he turns around and goes back to Mingyu and Minghao’s house.

Junhui has never gone to sleep this early before. Would Wonwoo show up? Or does he only appear at a certain time? Other than the restlessness that keeps his body wired up, there is also a layer of fear wrapped around his heart. He’s afraid that knowing the truth about Wonwoo’s past will somehow lead to the latter disappearing. Isn’t that how things usually work in fairytales? Once the magic is gone, once the enchantment vanishes, all that remains is cold reality.

Squeezing his eyes shut, Junhui burrows his face into the pillow.

He doesn’t want to be alone.

“I’m not going anywhere, sweetheart.”

Junhui’s eyes snap open.

He’s in the mirror room. For the first time in a year since they’ve seen each other, Wonwoo stands in front of him under the slant of light, smiling gently. Junhui’s heart lurches, and his breath catches.

“Wonwoo…”

He looks older here than in the photos of the newspaper, more mature. A few strands of errant black hair fall into his eyes as he gazes at Junhui tenderly, smile patient and warm. The same overwhelming emotions that Junhui felt at the library crash through him now. But more than that, feelings of relief and contentment, of yearning. All of his anxiety and fretting from earlier about Wonwoo leaving him seem so mundane and ridiculous now.

“You’re… here,” Junhui whispers in awe, taking a step forward. “I can see you now.”

Wonwoo grins in response, offering his hand for Junhui to take, then pulls him closer slowly as if afraid of spooking a small animal. “Yes.”

With his free hand, Junhui reaches up to cradle his cheek, sensing the warmth, the light stubbles tickling his palm, the smile widening as Wonwoo leans into the touch. Junhui’s heart is pounding so loudly, and yet he’s never felt so settled and calm, as if everything has finally come together, all the pieces clicking into place. A sensation of _right_.

Wonwoo draws him in even closer by the waist, until their foreheads rest against each other’s. He strokes over the boy’s cheek. “You found me, kitten.”

At the reminder, Junhui’s chest squeezes painfully as he recalls the cruel and terrible details of Wonwoo’s life. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

A subdued smile graces his lips, but he doesn’t answer.

“I want to help you,” Junhui insists. “How did you even end up here? Are you—Is this place in the house’s attic?” He looks around, unable to see much other than the mirror and the slant of light shining on the two of them. “Did…” His voice grows quiet, afraid. “Did Mr. Kang do this to you?”

Wonwoo doesn’t need to reply with words. The way his body tenses just minutely at the mention of the man’s name is enough.

“Oh, Wonwoo.” Without a second thought, Junhui slides his arms around the other’s torso and hugs him tightly, face tucked against the side of his neck. Junhui’s heart aches, his fingers clutching the fabric of the shirt. He feels strong arms coming down to settle around him. “How could he just…”

Wonwoo’s voice is calm as he rubs his hand up and down Junhui’s back. “The ritual didn’t work, so Kang did what he could.”

Resentment for the old man prompts him to frown and nuzzle closer to Wonwoo. He tries to give him comfort the same way Wonwoo has done so many times for him. “There has to be something we can do to… undo whatever he did,” he whispers. “To free you. I want to help.”

Wonwoo’s muscles grow stiff. He tightens his hold around Junhui. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”

But Junhui shakes his head and pulls away enough to meet his eyes. “Please, tell me,” he implores. “I can’t… You don’t belong here. And I…”

Voice deep and soothing, Wonwoo tries to console him, but Junhui is adamant. They’ve been alone for so long, now that they’ve finally found each other, how he can simply go on living and leave Wonwoo stuck here? How can he be satisfied with mere dreams when the man he cares so much about suffers? He has to convince Wonwoo.

“Please, Wonwon,” he tries again, voice muffled into the other’s shirt. “I don’t want to be alone anymore.”

Wonwoo sighs, pained and conflicted. “Kitten…”

He has no idea how long they stand like this, quietly holding on to each other. His mind buzzes with white noise, too many thoughts, too many questions and worries. If Wonwoo still refuses to let him help, then what could Junhui do?

“There is… a way,” Wonwoo eventually says hesitantly.

When Junhui lifts his head to stare at him with wide eyes, Wonwoo has his shut, brows pinched together.

“But you would need to get inside the house and find the location of the ritual.”

“I’ll be careful!” Junhui jumps at the chance. “Just please tell me what needs to be done.”

Sighing again, Wonwoo regards him with so much fondness, but also an abundance of worry. He passes a hand through the brown locks. “It has to be done at sunset, before the sun completely falls below the horizon.”

Junhui nods, attentive.

“You’ll see the portal there,” he continues, picking up Junhui’s wrist. “Write these symbols on it.” Using only his fingertip, he draws along the length of Junhui’s forearm. The boy watches with awe and wonder as one symbol after another appears on his skin. “Light up three candles.” Finished, Wonwoo slides his hand into Junhui’s and laces their fingers together.

“And then?”

Looking up from from their hands, Wonwoo offers him a small but mischievous smile. “Just think of me.”

A million things go could wrong, not to mention how dangerous sneaking into the house would prove to be, on top of hiding from Mr. Kang, but none of that manages to dampen his mood. Junhui grins widely at learning that there is a solution to freeing Wonwoo and keeping him by his side.

“Always.”

As soon as he wakes up the next morning, Junhui rolls out of bed and searches his bag for a pen and paper. He stares at his left forearm, at the strange letters and symbols adorning it. They look as crisp as if he’d gotten them tattooed there. Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, he quickly sets to copy them down, moving slowly so each stroke resembles Wonwoo’s.

The moment he finishes the last letter, the writing on his arm begins to fade. Until all that remains is his skin, smooth and blank. He blinks rapidly, even poking at his arm a few times. He doubts he will ever get used to such extraordinary sights. Shaking his head, he turns to the paper and folds it into a small square, which he pockets.

Time to get the necessary materials.

No matter how agitated and antsy he may feel, he still has responsibilities to keep. Besides, Wonwoo said he’ll have to wait until sunset anyway, so in the meantime, Junhui tries to go about his day as best as he can. He feeds Bobpul and Aji, playing with them a little bit, before he takes them out on their exercise walk around town.

Maybe it’s because he has a secret plan, but his stomach is in a flurry the entire time. He has to constantly check himself, making sure he’s not making strange faces. At least he has the doggies as a cover, though. If anyone notices anything, they’ll most likely think he’s playing with his furry friends.

While on the walk exploring the town, Junhui takes the opportunity to buy candles and a lighter. He keeps everything in his backpack, safe from view (even if three white candles and a cheap lighter wouldn’t make anyone bat an eye). He would rather be safe than sorry. As for the writing utensil for the portal, Junhui is temporarily stumped. Wonwoo didn’t specify what the portal is. He has to find something that can be written and seen on a variety of surfaces.

Around lunchtime, he grabs a sandwich from the deli and goes to the park with his little friends. He lets Bobpul and Aji run around while he sits at a bench, sharing his bread with the little duckies in the pond. They stay there and enjoy the sunlight until the dogs exhaust themselves. Junhui waits once they finish their naps before going back. On the way, he comes up with lipstick as his universal writing tool. Not only would its waxy property make the perfect tool for practically all surfaces, it’s also small enough to conceal. So on the way, he stops by the convenience store and grabs a couple tubes. Again, best be prepared.

Junhui leaves the doggies plenty of food and water before he sets off on his mission, swinging his backpack over his shoulders. He tells them to behave, then slips away into the afternoon sun. He has about an hour before sunset, which should be more than enough time for him to sneak into the house and set everything up. Like the last time he’s been in this neighborhood, the streets are eerily quiet. He wonders if the inhabitants just have a habit of staying indoors, or if these houses are actually empty.

No matter, he hitches his bag higher and continues down the street, hugging the walls. He keeps his ears sharp, ready to catch Mr. Kang’s movements. Going through the front seems like a bad idea. After all, that’s where Mr. Kang caught him from his porch. So Junhui sneaks through the back, using his flexibility to his advantage as he squeezes past the broken gates and enters the backyard.

Looking at all the shrubs and trees that have taken over the yard, it’s clear that he’s made the right decision. With this many obstacles, Mr. Kang would have a much more difficult time spotting an intruder. Junhui keeps his head down, watching his steps for rocks or branches, until he locates the door. Here, he pauses. He didn’t think of the key. _Shoot!_

He gnaws on his lip, glancing over his shoulders a few times. The power has long been cut, so only the afternoon glow of the sun offers any sort of light. He’s well hidden here, in the shadows, but he can’t stand here forever. Maybe he should check the windows for one that’s unlocked or with a broken latch. He turns to step way from the door, when a gust of wind blows through the overgrown yard. Dead leaves and twigs rustle as they get blown across the ground, and the trees sway noisily. In the midst of it, Junhui hears a click.

Doe eyes widen twice their size when he catches the door crack open on rusted hinges. Offering the wind a silent thank you, Junhui slips inside and shuts the door behind him.

As expected, it’s nearly pitch-black inside. Fortunately, there’s enough light pouring in from the front of the house to allow Junhui sight. He finds the stairs easily enough and hurries up the steps, not stopping until he arrives at the attic. Heart pounding erratically, Junhui swallows and turns the knob.

Orange sunlight filters through the window, past the white curtains, and falls on a very familiar mirror. He sucks in a breath, hand flying to his mouth. This is it. This is the place. The place where all of his dreams took place.

Now he can see the rest of the room, the white sheets covering various pieces of furniture, the columns of cardboard boxes. It’s dusty, of course, but not as dirty as one would expect from an abandoned house. It makes Junhui wonder if Mr. Kang visits. He can’t think of any reason why, but it would explain why he remained in the house next door all these years.

Shaking his head, Junhui snaps himself out of the distraction. He doesn’t care why the horrible man would come here. He has to save Wonwoo. Walking further into the room, he doesn’t make it more than handful of feet before he sees the floor. Or more specifically, what’s drawn on the floorboards: a huge circle with strange words and symbols, faded with time, but still legible for him to understand that this used to be the site of the ritual. Mr. and Mrs. Jeon were sacrificed here, and so was Wonwoo. A sharp pang slices through his heart. Junhui grits his teeth and closes his eyes for a second.

What a monster.

Junhui can’t help Mr. and Mrs. Jeon anymore, but there’s still hope for Wonwoo. Resolute, he nods to himself and gets to work. It’s almost time.

He takes out the candles and places them around the room, pocketing the lighter for now. Then he unfolds his notes and walks up to the mirror. There has to be a reason for this mirror to constantly appear in his dreams. Junhui is positive it’s the portal, the only connection between the real world and where Wonwoo is kept.

“Just hold on a little bit more, Wonwon,” he whispers as he stares at his reflection in the glass. How many times has he done this, stood in the exact spot? Except it’s real now, and Wonwoo isn’t behind him.

 _Soon,_ he thinks, reassuring himself. He just needs to follow Wonwoo’s instructions. The lipstick is smooth as it glides over the glass, his strokes slow and deliberate as he copies his notes. Red lines gradually fill his vision and covers his reflection.

Finished, he steps back, checking once again that he didn’t make any mistakes. When he finds none, he releases a breath of relief and turns to the window. The sun is quickly descending closer and closer to the horizon. Nerves and excitement thrum in his veins, causing tingles to course along his skin.

He lights the candles one by one, calling for Wonwoo with all of his heart.

Shadows gradually flood the room, pushing the light from the sun out. The lights of the candles flicker, creating dark shapes on the walls. Junhui takes his eyes away from them to watch as the sun nearly disappears behind the trees in the distance.

The sudden slamming of the attic door agains the wall has Junhui jumping a foot in the air, hands flying to his head automatically. The house seems to have rattled from the force of the hit, and he can still feel his limbs tingle from the adrenaline shot of the shock.

“What you have done?!” a gravelly voice bellows, causing Junhui to tremble even more as he curls up on himself. Mr. Kang storms in the room, the large flashlight in his grasp throwing white light all over the place as he yells at Junhui. “You foolish boy! I told you to stay away from this house! This isn’t a game!” He spins around to glare at him.

As terrifying as he looks, Junhui stumbles as he notices the fear reflected in his wrinkly, dull eyes.

He marches toward him, voice grave and hurried. “Blow out those candles. We might still be able to—” His sentences goes unfinished.

A strong gale whirls through the attic, cracking the window frame against the wall with enough force to shatter the glass. Junhui yelps, dropping to his haunches and covering his head. Mr. Kang also stumbles, cursing as he attempts to gather his footing.

“This cannot continue!” he exclaims, scrambling toward the mirror, flashlight raised high above his head with the intent to break it.

“No!” Junhui jumps to his feet and runs to bar his way. The unexpectedness shocks the man enough to cause him to back away a few steps. “You’ve caused enough harm all those years ago! You’ve kept Wonwoo a prisoner since then, and now you want to destroy him? What did he and his family ever do to you? How could you have killed them in such a cruel way?”

Mr. Kang gapes at him for a second, before his brows furrow and a snarl erupts from his throat. “You think I was the one who—I didn’t invoke the demonic ritual, you fool!”

“What?” Junhui recoils. “If you’re not the one, then who—”

The candles suddenly go out, plunging them in complete darkness. Junhui flinches, heart hammering in his chest as he looks toward the window to see the sun completely out of view.

“It’s too late,” Mr. Kang mutters, but Junhui can’t see him in the dark.

“Wait—”

“Junhui.”

The candles burst to life again, but instead of yellow flames, they’re red. Not that Junhui notices. Not when all he registers is the familiar deep voice calling his name with all the tenderness in the world. His heart lurches out of his chest as he gasps and spins around.

“Wonwoo!”

He looks exactly like he did last night, arms outstretched toward him. _He’s here! He’s here! He’s here!_

A soft cry tumbles from his mouth as Junhui jumps into his arms and burrows into his neck. His entire body feels like a lit bulb, everything hypersensitive as Wonwoo hugs him tightly, one hand cradling the back of his head securely.

“Hi, kitten.”

The same sense of calmness and _right_ settles into his bones once more. Like all the cracks and emptiness in his heart are finally filled and smoothed over to be complete.

“You’re here,” Junhui whispers over and over again, hand gripping the back of his shirt to keep him from ever going anywhere.

Wonwoo chuckles lowly, pressing a kiss to his temple. “I’m here. Thanks to you, sweetheart.”

Junhui is so happy, he could burst.

The sweet moment is interrupted by a bitter outburst.

“You filthy beast!”

Junhui flinches, but Wonwoo is quick to shush him, hand squeezing his nape in reassurance and comfort. He keeps Junhui facing away from Mr. Kang as he lifts his head and confronts the old man.

“What have you done to this kid? What lies did you fill his head with?”

Unable to see makes the encounter more unsettling than it actually is. Junhui struggles, but Wonwoo’s hold is firm, pressing the boy to his chest.

“Leave while I still feel generous,” Wonwoo says, voice devoid of any warmth. Junhui shudders from the sheer terror of hearing it for the first time. Never has Wonwoo ever spoken like this with him.

Unlike him, though, Mr. Kang remains firm. “I got rid of you once, I’ll do it again. Even if it means destroying your vessel.”

Barely have the words entered Junhui’s consciousness, before he could even feel fear from Mr. Kang’s threat, that Wonwoo lifts his arm away from Junhui’s back. A crash follows, the impact nearly drowned out by Mr. Kang’s scream of agony. A body falls to the floor with a dull thud.

Junhui squeaks and flinches, scrambling for any sort of contact to ground him. His ears ring from the rushing blood flow, turning the world around him completely disorienting. His heart beats so hard, he feels like it’s trying to break out of his ribcage. His whole body shakes. He raises his head and peeks behind him, only to yelp and whip around, burrowing into the safety of Wonwoo’s arms.

Mr. Kang. Mr. Kang is—

“Won—Wonwoo, what—Mr. Kang, did you—He’s d-dead..?”

“Shh, calm down.” Wonwoo rocks him back and forth, voice warm and soothing. “He was going to hurt you, and I couldn’t have let it happen.”

“B-but now y-you’re… You’re going to be in t-t-trouble and—” He raises his face to look at Wonwoo, face paling. “T-the police—”

“Hey, hey, hey.” Wonwoo cups his face in his hands, thumbs gently stroking over his cheeks. “Shh, everything will be okay. There’s nothing for you to worry about. I’ve got you, sweetheart.” As though his words were a balm on Junhui’s frail nerves, the boy’s shaking gradually lessens. Only his heart still beats a little faster than normal. Sensing the change, Wonwoo smiles, proud. Junhui beams at that. He’s still rattled, but the fact that he’s made Wonwoo proud helps a lot.

“You’re mine now,” Wonwoo continues. “And I always take good care of what belongs to me.” He presses a soft kiss to Junhui’s forehead, and the latter sighs, succumbing to the gentleness.

“I’m yours,” he agrees.

Because Junhui keeps his back turned to the scene in order to wrap his arms around him and tuck his face against the crook of Wonwoo’s shoulder, he doesn’t notice their reflection in the full length mirror. He doesn’t see the way Wonwoo squeezes him tighter to his body. He doesn’t see the small yet satisfied smile Wonwoo hides in his hair as he leans in to kiss the side of Junhui’s head.

Junhui misses all of it.

He also misses the way Wonwoo’s eyes glow, as bright and red as burning embers.

·̩̩̥͙＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚☾˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙

**Coups 🍒:**

did jun decide to stay over the wknd?

**🐶 Gyu:**

???

**Coups 🍒:**

i tried calling him yesterday but no answer

and he didn’t come to work today

kwannie thought he might be sick so he sent nonie to jun’s apt

landlady says he hasn’t been home yet

**🐶 Gyu:**

that’s weird

Hao and i came home on friday and we sent him off

he looked kinda sleepy but it was near 11 so

anyway we told him to stay until saturday but he declined

apparently he and his bf had plans so we let them go

**Coups 🍒:**

what?

jun doesn’t have a bf!!!

**🐶 Gyu:**

yuh-huh!

kinda scary looking dude but super protective and coddles him like crazy

kinda cute if ur into that domineering sorta guy i guess

the point is

hao and i watched them get into his car and drive off

**Coups 🍒:**

MINGYU WTH!!!!

jun doesn’t have a bf!!!

especially one with a car!!!

if he had a car i woudn’t have made you pay for his train and bus tickets!!!!!!

**🐶 Gyu:**

wait what are you sayign????

then who was that guy he was with???

pls dont tell me if accidentally helped soem creep kdinap moon jun!!!!!!!!

**Coups 🍒:**

I AM CALLING THE POLICE

ur gonna come with me to the station and describe him to a sketch artist

·̩̩̥͙＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚☾˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙

Junhui giggles as Wonwoo gently settles him down on the bed, lips latched to his neck. He sucks on a particularly sensitive spot, which has Junhui arching off of the bed, moan falling from kiss-swollen lips. He feels Wonwoo smirk against his skin.

“Wonwon,” he whines, fingers carding through black strands.

“Shh. Just let me take care of you.” Wonwoo trails kisses down his neck, sucking marks as he goes just to hear the boy under him moan and whine.

Junhui feels weightless, like he’s floating on air as he lays back and basks in the sensations, in the pleasure and contentment flowing through him. His eyes flutter open to stare at the canopy above the bed, sheer red and sparkling like millions of tiny rubies. The room is large and spacious, beautifully decorated. It’s nighttime, he realizes, gazing out the French doors. A slant of moonlight pours into the room and settles on an ornate full-length mirror.

“Where are we?” he asks, dazed.

Wonwoo crawls back up his body, slotting himself between Junhui’s legs as he rests his weight on his elbows. “Home.” When Junhui hums and puckers his lips to ask for more kisses, Wonwoo chuckles and complies. He doesn’t relent until Junhui gasps for air, shifting to kiss along his cheek. “A place where I’ll keep you safe from the world, where you’ll never be lonely again,” Wonwoo promises, lips right by his ear. Junhui moans, nodding enthusiastically as pleasant shudders wrack through him.

Junhui’s mind spins, euphoria bursting behind his eyelids as Wonwoo’s deft fingers caress his bare thighs, pushing the material higher and higher as he goes. He can’t remember changing out of his jeans. He can’t remember putting on the sheer chemise that Wonwoo is working on unbuttoning now. He doesn’t even know how they arrived here, and yet he can’t bring himself to care. All he can think about is how good Wonwoo makes him feel, how cherished, how loved.

“Wonwoo…” His hands fist into the silk sheets as long fingers shift to the apex of his legs, curling around his inner thighs to squeeze his ass. Wonwoo’s lips soon follow the same path, leaving Junhui panting, soft little moans falling out of his lips.

“So pretty. So good for me.”

“Wanna be good,” he whines, hands roaming over Wonwoo’s broad back and defined muscles. “Wanna be yours.”

“You already are mine, kitten,” Wonwoo replies, eyes glinting in the dark. As he positions himself at Junhui’s entrance and pushes in, he growls, near ferocious, “You’re mine, Junhui, and you will always remain mine.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so um... hurry for wonhui happy ending? 😅 i hope it was ok?
> 
> i know some of you will have questions, so if you do, please ask me! i'll be happy to clear things up :D 
> 
> if you REALLY stretch it, you can kinda consider this my Light a Flame-inspired fic 🤣 just for the mood~
> 
> at any rate, i hope you enjoyed. even if it was pretty different from my usual stories, if it entertained you and brought you some joy, then i'll be happy 😊 thank you very much for reading!
> 
> take care, everyone! i'll be back... at some point 😅🤣  
> xoxoxo
> 
> **EDIT: pls head over to Ch. 2 for the Q &A where i've gathered and answered all the questions you guys sent in. **


	2. Q&A: Answering You Guys' Questions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not an actual chapter! Sorry if anyone got excited 😅 
> 
> so bc i’ve noticed that most of you have similar questions (totally understandable lol) i thought that gathering all of them with their respective answers into one place would be easier and more accessible
> 
> so here we go!

**1.) What really happened to the Jeons? Who practiced the ritual? What is Mr. Kang’s role in all of this?**

the jeons were humans (no POY crossover 🤣), but wonwoo did get corrupted by an evil entity, which resides in the mirror (where the mirror comes from??? ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯). wonwoo is the one who got the ritual going. wonwoo sacrificed his parents. the 3rd sacrifice SHOULD have been mr. kang. wonwoo lured him to the house to be killed (and that’s why he was at the scene of the crime), but mr. kang managed to put a stop to the ritual and banished wonwoo into the mirror room. mr. kang was a good guy 😔

without getting too deep into the backstory, mr. kang and wonwoo used to be friends, so when wonwoo began to change, mr. kang obviously took notice. consequently, he did research, and that’s how he knew what to do. unfortunately, he wasn’t able to rescue wonwoo from the evil 😔

  
**2.) Was Mr. Kang extra mean to Junnie because he knew Junnie was under Wonwoo’s influence?**

yes. he didn’t know the extent (if he did, he’d probably have kicked junnie out of town), but he could sense wonwoo’s aura around junnie

  
**3.) How did Wonwoo choose Junhui?**

yes, wonwoo also has dream walking powers (hello, prince wonwoo from OUD! 🤣). before junnie, he just wandered from dream to dream, sucking people’s energy, searching for a way out of his prison. and then he comes upon lonely, naive, and sweet junnie. he never had to look anywhere else

  
**4.) What does “vessel” mean? Is Junhui’s Wonwoo’s vessel? Is that why he took his blood every night?**

yes. “vessel” is just the person/soul that enabled wonwoo and freed him, allowing him access to the real world, through his blood

  
**5.) Where did WonHui go at the end of the fic???**

“home” as wonwoo puts it, is in an alternate space, tucked and hidden btwn the real world and the demon world. wonwoo meant it when he said he wants to keep junnie away from the rest of the world. junnie is his precious little treasure, and wonwoo is not sharing (if you want to think of it in a romantic sense, it’s bc wonwoo doesn’t trust the real world. he wants to keep junnie safe and happy and away from ANY sort of harm, always by his side)

wonwoo himself, though, can travel through worlds whenever he wants now. which he’ll do when junnie is asleep, wrecking havoc and probably drawing (sick) amusement from seeing the panic he’s caused svt at junnie’s disappearance.

  
**6.) Can Wonwoo influence the real world? Was he responsible for the death of the (sleazy) customer? Did he play any role in getting Junhui into town?**

to an extent, yes. but it’s only bc he’s been taking junnie’s blood for months, so his powers grew. he did essentially kill the sleazy customer, although not directly. he manipulated the man to go to the station, and he made the man walk off the platform onto the tracks. junnie thinks very linearly, time-wise, which is why he dismissed the idea of wonwoo being responsible. in actuality, wonwoo kinda always keeps an eye on him, so he always knows stuff even before junnie says anything

yes, wonwoo also caused DN to break his leg, which leads SC to ask junnie to go in his stead to housesit and watch the dogs. and he also timed it to be around the same day as the anniversary of the ritual. oh, wonwoo. so meticulous!

(idk if you guys picked it up, but he also helped junnie get into his house, by having the wind blow the door open lol)

  
**7.) Does the mirror show Wonwoo’s real (demonic) self?**

yep! notice that when junnie saw wonwoo’s face in the dream, he was looking directly at him, not through the mirror 👀 and at the end, junnie didn’t see the reflection where wonwoo’s eyes were glowing red

and also yes: the mirror is the portal that wonwoo uses to travel btwn worlds

  
**8.) Does Wonwoo actually love Junhui, or is he only using him? (no one’s asked this one yet, but i thought i’d answer it anyway)**

in a twisted way, this is true love lol. obviously junnie fell for him. HARD. but wonwoo also grew attached along the way, and it developed into (a sick and twisted) love. that’s why he was so pissed at the sleazy customer and had him killed. also why he wants to keep junnie hidden away. it would have been really easy for wonwoo to toss junnie aside once junnie did what he wanted, but nope. true love~ 🤣

**9.) Can Junhui leave the alternate world Wonwoo took them to? How is Junhui's life going to be from now on?**

technically, junnie CAN go back to the real world. but wonwoo isn't gonna let him 😅 he meant it when he said "[this is a] place where I’ll keep you safe from the world." junnie is not leaving this alternate dimension... so yes. he's never seeing svt again. svt think he's been kidnapped and that's that 😶

as for how junnie lives there. well... wonwoo basically uses his powers to trick junnie into thinking they're in the real world. he recreates everything from junnie's life, including svt, work, school, etc... and junnie just keeps on living like he did before. he thinks he goes to school in the morning, and then in the afternoon goes to SC's restaurant and meets up with svt for work, and then goes home at night--or well, wonwoo comes to pick him up from work. and then they go home. the only difference in his life now is that he has someone who loves him, someone who takes care of him, giving him comfort and reassurance and chases the loneliness away. now on the weekends, instead of working extra shifts, wonwoo will take him out and give him things he never could afford

(it's kinda nice, if you ignore the fact that junnie's living inside of a made up world, his boyfriend is a demon, and he's being lied to lol)

bc wonwoo has dream~ powers, he just needs to blur the edges a bit for junnie to not question logic. this way, he keeps junnie happy and safe, and most importantly, he doesn't have to share junnie with anyone. ever. 😶 so yeahhhh... not a healthy relationship at all. but ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ they're happy

**10.) What happens if Junhui figures out the truth? Would Wonwoo let Junhui go back to his life?**

well... no.

first, wonwoo is not gonna let junnie find out the truth. EVER. on the off-chance (idk 0.0000000017%) that he does, wonwoo isn't going to hurt him or even get mad at him. 

no. he'll just erase junnie's memories concerning finding out the truth, and then go about as if nothing happened

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If I haven't answered your question or if you have more, pls send them in! :D 
> 
> Thank you very much~
> 
> -


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